Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that international sports events, such as The Olympics or the Football World Cup, are a good way to bring countries together. Others say that these events create competition, not friendship, between countries.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

International sports events such as the Olympics or the Football World Cup attract millions of people from different parts of the world. Some people believe that these events help countries develop strong relationships. Others argue that these events create competition, not friendship, between countries. Although both perspectives are right, I believe that international sports events are more beneficial because they promote cultural understanding and peaceful interaction.

On the one hand, international sports competition can create a sense of rivalry between countries. When athletes compete with each other, they want their country to win which can lead to nationalistic feelings.

If competition becomes too aggressive, the original spirit of sportsmanship may be replaced by hatred or conflict. For example, football matches between countries can sometimes create strong emotions among supporters. Therefore, it is understandable why some people believe that such events create competition rather than friendship.

On the other hand, international sporting events can bring people together despite their differences. Because athletes from different countries live, train and compete together, they have opportunities to understand other cultures and develop friendships. Although the athletes compete on the field, they often show respect for one another after the competition has finished.

In my opinion, the positive effects of international sports events are greater than the negative ones. Even though competition is an unavoidable part of sport, it does not necessarily prevent countries from developing friendly relationships. f countries continue to use these events to encourage cultural exchange and mutual respect, international sport can become an effective way of strengthening global relationships.

In conclusion, international sports events can sometimes increase rivalry because countries compete to achieve victory. However, I believe that they are more likely to bring countries and people closer together than to create lasting conflict.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task, discussing both the view that sports bring countries together and the view that they create competition, while clearly stating a personal opinion. The length requirement of 250 words has been fully met, with 272 words written (excluding 21 words copied from the prompt). However, some ideas remain slightly under-developed, which prevents the score from reaching a higher level. For instance, the discussion on how sports create rivalry touches upon nationalistic feelings and football supporters, but it could be extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis. Similarly, the counter-argument regarding cultural exchange is relevant and presented with a clear position throughout, but it stops short of fully exploring the long-term impact on global relations. To reach the next tier, the writer needs to extend and support all main points with more detailed explanations and robust examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression throughout, utilizing standard introductory and concluding paragraphs alongside distinct body paragraphs for each view. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader through the text. However, cohesion can sometimes feel a bit mechanical or formulaic, and referencing is not always completely clear. For example, the transition between sentences in the second paragraph could be smoother to avoid slight abruptness when moving from nationalistic feelings to football supporters. To improve further, the writer should integrate cohesive devices more naturally and vary referencing techniques rather than relying on standard structural signposts.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common lexical items such as 'nationalistic feelings', 'sportsmanship', and 'cultural exchange'. There is sufficient flexibility to communicate the main arguments clearly. However, there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and minor collocation slips, such as the typographical error 'f countries' instead of 'If countries' in the fourth paragraph, and phrasing that occasionally lacks precision. Communication is not impeded by these issues, and the vocabulary is generally appropriate for general contexts. To achieve a higher band, the writer needs to incorporate a wider range of sophisticated and uncommon lexical items with greater precision, demonstrating a stronger awareness of style and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over basic structures and attempting more intricate constructions such as conditional clauses ('If competition becomes too aggressive, the original spirit...') and concession clauses ('Although athletes from different countries...'). There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly regarding missing commas after introductory phrases or minor structural slips, but these errors rarely impede communication and the majority of simple sentences are accurate. To reach a higher level, the writer must produce a greater frequency of error-free complex sentences and maintain tighter control over punctuation and grammatical structures throughout the entire response.

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